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rudeness

I’m finding the most difficult part of running instances with the new random LFG tool isn’t necessarily in handling other players of varying skill and experience. No, it’s deciding what to do when someone else puts up a vote to boot someone.

Or even worse, being in a situation where I wonder if I ought to kick off the proceedings. The vast majority of my groups have been great. But I did run one heroic which threw up the amazing combination of a rogue who put out 800 dps and a mouthy death knight (1200 dps) who insisted on pulling every group in sight because apparently that’s what dps do on his server. Hint for the clueless: If you do pull massive amounts of extra trash, make sure you have the nukage capacity in group to kill them in a reasonable amount of time. That run would undoubtedly have been a lot more successful if I’d actually booted at least one of those players. As it was, we wiped twice on Loken and then I left to go play with some guildies instead.

Like most players, I’m not fond of drama. If I’m running an instance, I want a nice fast smooth run with friendly people. I don’t want a shouting match, I don’t want to have to share virtual space with people who offend my soul, and I really don’t want to be the person to tell Ms 800 dps that she isn’t good enough to group with me.

But I wouldn’t hesitate in a moment to boot someone for sexism or homophobia (for example). I’d even mock them as I did it.

I’m not sure why the idea of booting someone for not being a good enough player bothers me so much, but I have no problem with booting them for being a twat. Surely if the group will fail if they are there, that’s good enough reason to find a replacement. The needs of the many, etc.

I can only conclude that it’s a form of geek social fallacy: ostracisers are evil – I wouldn’t like it if I was thrown out of a group just for not being good enough, so I don’t like doing that to other people.

How about you? What would you boot players for? Or in fact, what have you already booted them for, and why?